We had our meeting today, but only 6 people showed up. Everyone kind of chuckled an "oh yeah, of course that would happen... it's Fiji" chuckle. I was sad, the few people that DID come had traveled from all over- doctors, head medical officers, even an HIV+ women who wanted to voice some concerns. Apparently there are still nurses who have stigmas against HIV too- one doctor told me that a nurse turned down treating an HIV+ patient, her reasoning... she "was pregnant and didnt want 'risk it'." --- how a trained medical professional could say that is beyond me.
I still dont know what the meeting was supposed be about, but it was still worthwhile for me. I was able to make some contacts which will hopefully lead into working on projects outside the hub center. We'll see.
I have a sinus infection, yuck.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
nothing and everything
Is it time for a new post? I think so...
You should feel honored by this post because Im missing a showing of the Bee Movie in the lobby to write it. Aside from watching movies during lunch hour (or three hours, as the case was yesterday), I finally have travel/work plans for the coming week.
Tonight- I'm helping with a workshop for primary school teachers on how to incorporate the topic of puberty into the classroom.
Thursday- a meeting with most of the medical officers for STI sights in the west.
Friday- Red Cross disaster preparedness mini-training
Mon-Weds - a training of trainers workshop in Tavua (about an hour and a half from Lautoka). its unclear what the topic will cover- I'll report more on it later.
I found this all out today from the medical officer at the hub center (AKA my boss, AKA the shiznit). He is Ratuman (an islander from Ratuma, a place 3 days north by boat- thats what he said, but I have yet to confirm it with a map, though Im inclined to believe him since his family is from there) and looks very Polynesian. He told me how he flunked his last year of high school and said "well.. I guess I'll just do that over again and then go to medical school." Very inspirational. He's been really helpful and I think he'll be a great resource for the next two years.
So far, I still havent spoken to my counter part but, I've been keeping busy with odd jobs for whoever needs it- typing, playing UNO, talking to kids who are bored, accompanying other staff to the hospital or clinic, etc. It seems like a slow time for everyone, not just me.
You should feel honored by this post because Im missing a showing of the Bee Movie in the lobby to write it. Aside from watching movies during lunch hour (or three hours, as the case was yesterday), I finally have travel/work plans for the coming week.
Tonight- I'm helping with a workshop for primary school teachers on how to incorporate the topic of puberty into the classroom.
Thursday- a meeting with most of the medical officers for STI sights in the west.
Friday- Red Cross disaster preparedness mini-training
Mon-Weds - a training of trainers workshop in Tavua (about an hour and a half from Lautoka). its unclear what the topic will cover- I'll report more on it later.
I found this all out today from the medical officer at the hub center (AKA my boss, AKA the shiznit). He is Ratuman (an islander from Ratuma, a place 3 days north by boat- thats what he said, but I have yet to confirm it with a map, though Im inclined to believe him since his family is from there) and looks very Polynesian. He told me how he flunked his last year of high school and said "well.. I guess I'll just do that over again and then go to medical school." Very inspirational. He's been really helpful and I think he'll be a great resource for the next two years.
So far, I still havent spoken to my counter part but, I've been keeping busy with odd jobs for whoever needs it- typing, playing UNO, talking to kids who are bored, accompanying other staff to the hospital or clinic, etc. It seems like a slow time for everyone, not just me.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
under construction
the house. It's... how shall I put it, well, fantastic. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a three bedroom house with an exercise room (kind of), living room, kitchen, two toilets, hot water, a fridge, stove, and a bath tub... thats right, a clean, operational bath tub! As a volunteer my image of living quarters generally involved a non flushing toilet, cold bucket showers, rats running around my bed, etc. - which is what I spent the last ten weeks with.
Anyhow, my room mate moves in when the renovations are finished- oh did I mention, they thought the wrap around porch wasnt up to standard without brand new tile, eehhhmm. She is a jica volunteer (Japanese equivalent to US peace corps, as I understand it) working for the local special education school. She speaks virtually no english. Its actually quite fun. I get to play charades, make up japanese words, and speak broken fijinglish with her. Shes really nice and giggles a lot, aaanndd she works at a special ed. school so she must be cool.
My job is starting off slowly, as I expected it would. The days are spent walking to work, sitting around, schmoozing with the people in my office, going to the library (lautoka has the western regional library- they have a section that offers free internet!), running errands here and there, sitting in the park eating lunch (the view is of the ocean, three humongous yachts, and one of the yasawa islands), and walking home to listen to the BBC on my tiny portable radio. Things are slow now, but next week they have plans to travel- so I'll jump on that like a fat kid on cake.
Anyhow, my room mate moves in when the renovations are finished- oh did I mention, they thought the wrap around porch wasnt up to standard without brand new tile, eehhhmm. She is a jica volunteer (Japanese equivalent to US peace corps, as I understand it) working for the local special education school. She speaks virtually no english. Its actually quite fun. I get to play charades, make up japanese words, and speak broken fijinglish with her. Shes really nice and giggles a lot, aaanndd she works at a special ed. school so she must be cool.
My job is starting off slowly, as I expected it would. The days are spent walking to work, sitting around, schmoozing with the people in my office, going to the library (lautoka has the western regional library- they have a section that offers free internet!), running errands here and there, sitting in the park eating lunch (the view is of the ocean, three humongous yachts, and one of the yasawa islands), and walking home to listen to the BBC on my tiny portable radio. Things are slow now, but next week they have plans to travel- so I'll jump on that like a fat kid on cake.
Monday, July 28, 2008
the start
The description of this blog was based on a few reoccurring thoughts- 1. the inability of my daily life to stop, even for good reason- most people would refer to this as the principle of "time," and 2. that timelessness is not the idea of immortality, but something felt by people who clearly have too much time on their hands.
The training process I just finished was 10 weeks long. Each incoming volunteer is assigned to a village (about 5 volunteers to every village). The villages were a 25-30 minute bus ride to Nausori- the closest town/small city. Needless to say that no one really lived "in the bush." But, as far as living the rural life- I, little ol' Kiva, lived vagalala (outside the village or literally, on its own). My house was about 6 minutes walk to the main (dirt) road. Crossing the road would put me in the village where I had language class.
Most days were as full as they could be, with 4 hours of language class (with one hour break for tea and nap- hey, its Fiji) and then health technical sessions for the second half of the day (with one hour break for tea- again, its Fiji). Every week we would have hub days were all programs (all 32 incoming volunteers) would come together. The programs were health (which also included youth) and environment (which also included business). These were days with combined sessions and the opportunity for the villages to show off their cooking/partying throwing abilities.
Blackness fell at 6 pm and no really left their houses after that. My evenings were spent playing rummy with my host sister, mom or dad (I became the master champ by the end) and watching old American and Australian tv shows (or movies, everything is called a movie).
saying goodbye to my host family- the transition from training to becoming a volunteer
my host dad and the chief of the village I was staying in
hehe...
Anyway, so here I am, living in the Lautoka area. I received an amazing assignment to work with the western division with the Ministry of Health. The Hub Sight (as they call it) is both a clinic and reproductive health promotion sight. There are big plans, but things move slow and get stuck in the "pipe-line." There is foreseeable traveling, and opportunity to carry out workshops all over western Fiji.
With that, my first day of work at the Hub Sight I arrive to find no counterpart. hmm, I say, hmm... I call her on my new and very sleek mobile phone. She explains that just last night she decided it would be a good time to take one week leave from work. Again, I say, hmmmm. I was able to meet a lot of people and eat some good curry with roti. Later today I will go for my first lesson in tennis- further explaination to these sotries I reserve for people who email me...
It's coming to the end of my first full day of work and I feel quite accomplished, and I was even able to have a mid day nap. Like I said, too much time on my hands.
The training process I just finished was 10 weeks long. Each incoming volunteer is assigned to a village (about 5 volunteers to every village). The villages were a 25-30 minute bus ride to Nausori- the closest town/small city. Needless to say that no one really lived "in the bush." But, as far as living the rural life- I, little ol' Kiva, lived vagalala (outside the village or literally, on its own). My house was about 6 minutes walk to the main (dirt) road. Crossing the road would put me in the village where I had language class.
Most days were as full as they could be, with 4 hours of language class (with one hour break for tea and nap- hey, its Fiji) and then health technical sessions for the second half of the day (with one hour break for tea- again, its Fiji). Every week we would have hub days were all programs (all 32 incoming volunteers) would come together. The programs were health (which also included youth) and environment (which also included business). These were days with combined sessions and the opportunity for the villages to show off their cooking/partying throwing abilities.
Blackness fell at 6 pm and no really left their houses after that. My evenings were spent playing rummy with my host sister, mom or dad (I became the master champ by the end) and watching old American and Australian tv shows (or movies, everything is called a movie).
saying goodbye to my host family- the transition from training to becoming a volunteer
my host dad and the chief of the village I was staying in
hehe...
Anyway, so here I am, living in the Lautoka area. I received an amazing assignment to work with the western division with the Ministry of Health. The Hub Sight (as they call it) is both a clinic and reproductive health promotion sight. There are big plans, but things move slow and get stuck in the "pipe-line." There is foreseeable traveling, and opportunity to carry out workshops all over western Fiji.
With that, my first day of work at the Hub Sight I arrive to find no counterpart. hmm, I say, hmm... I call her on my new and very sleek mobile phone. She explains that just last night she decided it would be a good time to take one week leave from work. Again, I say, hmmmm. I was able to meet a lot of people and eat some good curry with roti. Later today I will go for my first lesson in tennis- further explaination to these sotries I reserve for people who email me...
It's coming to the end of my first full day of work and I feel quite accomplished, and I was even able to have a mid day nap. Like I said, too much time on my hands.
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